Pump.



J. B. 'SPERRY.

PUMP. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. l9|3- Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

It ll JOHN B. SPERBIY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICANWELL WORKN, O AURORA, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PUMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. eaters.

. Application filed December 3, 1913. Serial No. 804,342.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. SPERRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Pumps, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to pumps and has for one of its objects theprovision of means by which a pump may be automatically primed wheneverunder any circumstances it loses its water. As will be readilyunderstood, whenever for any reason the water necessary for the properoperation of the pump is lost, the space ordinarily occupied t ll by thewater becomes filled with air. When the pump is primed thereafter, it isoften the case that the priming water cannot force from the pump all ofsuch air, making it difiicult to start the pump properly in operation,the air still remaining in the pump causing the pump toagain lose itswater.

It is another object of this invention to provide automatically-actingmeans for removing the airfrom a pump when the pump is primed orwhenever at any time a quantity of air is admitted into the pump duringits operation. r

Itis another object of this invention to improve pumps in sundry detailshereinafter pointed out. 2

The means by which I have accomplished these objects are illustrated inthe drawing and are hereinafter specifically described.

That which I believe to be new is set forth in the claims.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a side view,

partly in section, of a pump embodying-my improvements; and Fig; 2 is across-sectional View of a modified form of regulating valve.

Referring to Fig. 1, 10 indicates the run ner casing of a centrifugalpump of any approved type mounted upon a base 11 supported in anysuitable manner. 12 indicates a suction-pipe extending from the runnercasing 10 to or below the lowest level of the water in the well, beingprovided at its lower end with an upwardly opening valve 13 of anyapprovedtype. 14 indicates the discharge outlet of the pump providedwith an upwardly opening valve 15 ,of any approved type and connected atits upper end to the discharge pipe 16. Comin now to suitable materialmounted on the lower face of the diaphragm 18 adapted to be brought downto close the openings Ell-22 in the wall of the regulating valve 17 23indicates a pipe connecting the opening 22 with the suction pipe 12,with a valve 24 interposed therein. 25 indicates a pipe connecting theopening 21 with the discharge outlet 14 above the valve 15 therein, saidpipe 25 having interposed therein a valve 26. 27 indicates a pipeconnecting the valve-casing 17 above the diaphragm 18 with the outlet 11 below the valve 15, the end of the pipe 27 extending through the wallof the outlet 14 and being turned therein toward the pump.

With the pump being driven from any suitable source of power, the wateris drawn into the suction pipe 12, the valve 13 opening to permit thewater to enter. The water is forced through the outlet 14, the valve 15opening upward to permit the water to pass. The water impinging againstthe open end of the pipe 27 in the outlet 14, by reason of its velocitycreates a pressure in the pipe 27 in excess of the pressure in theoutlet 14:. Inasmuch as the pressure in the pipe 27 is transmitted tothe casing 17 above the diaphragm 18 and the pressure in the outlet 14:to the casing 17 below the diaphragm, the preponderance of pressure'above the dia phragm, brings the part 20 to its seat, closing' theports 21-22.

With the pump operating as above described,-with the openings 2l..22closed by the plate 20, the water is forced through the discharge outlet14 and the discharge pipe 16 substantially as if the regulating valve 17and its connections were not in use. Whenever, under any circumstances,the pump is caused to lose its water,.the valve 13 immediately closes,preventing the'emptying of the suction pipe 12. The upward pressure ofthe water through the discharge outlet 14: immediately ceases, thusremoving the pressure upon the upper side til Ittll the receptaclecompletely full,

such complete filling with 'vater may be 25 and the opening 21 into thechamber of the regulating valve, thence through the operation of thepump again becomes normal, the valves 13 and 15 being caused to openupward and the regulating valve 17 being caused to close the openings2122 as above described. The valves 24 and 26 are provided for closingthe pipes 2325 if for any reason it is desired to remove theregulating-valve for adjustment or repair. In Fig. 2 which shows amodified form of regulating valve, correspondingparts are indicated bythe same reference numerals but with the addition of an exponent a. Inthis construction, 17 indicates a cap or dome formed in the upper wallof the casing 17 17 indicates a sleeve mounted on the plate 19 adaptedto slide up and down in said cap, and 17 indicates a coiled springmounted in said sleeve and cap tending to hold the plate 20 in itslowered operative position. The spring 17 of such a strength as torender it easily overcome by the back pressure of the water in the pipe16 upon the discontinuance of effective "pumping whereby the plate 20 issure to be lifted against the action of the spring for priming purposes.At the same time, the spring can be made strong enough to cause a veryconsiderable preponderance of force for holding the plate 20 in.operative closing position during the effective pumping operation.Coming now to the means for automatically removing the air from thepump, 28 indicates a receptacle connected by a pipe 29 with the upperpart of the runner casing 10. 30' indicates a water gage of any suitabletype connected at the side of said receptacle. 31 indicates a bracketdepending from the cover plate of the receptacle, carrying near itslower end a block 32 provided with a vertical opening therethrough, theupper end of which opening communicates with the atmosphere through atube 33. 3+1 indicates a link or lever pivotally connected at one end tothelower end of the bracket 31. 35 indicates a valve stem pivotallymounted at its lower end upon the link 34 imposition in the openingthrough the block 32, the upper end of said stem having a seat at the uper end of the opening through the block 32. 36 indicates a float of anysuitable type mounted on the lower end of the link 34.

With the pump in effective operation, water is forced into thereceptacle 28 fillin except as Upon the automatic priming of the pump asust described, the

isdesigned to be prevented by the presence of air in the receptacle. Thefloat 30 tends to rise to the surface of the water, exerting an upwardpressure through the link 3-l. upon the valve stem 35, holding suchvalve stem to its seat and closing the pipe 33. Whenever during theoperation of the pump air is admitted or forced into the runner casing10, such air has a tendency to rise to the uppermost point of the casingand to escape from the casing through the pipe 29 into the chamber 28,displacing water therefrom. As the level of the water falls in thereceptacle 28 in this way, the support for the float 30 is removed andthe valve stem 35 is drawn from its seat by the weight of the float.against the pressure in the receptacle 23. Upon the opening of the valvein this way. a portion of the air escapes from the receptacle 2S,permitting a new supply of Water to enter through the pipe 29, thusraising the level of the water and again bringing the valve stem 35against its scat. As will be readily understood, the action of theair-removing apparatus is entirely automatic, opening and closing justas often as is necessary for the escape of the air and preventing theloss of any water through the valve.

By the use ofmy air-removing means automatically operative during thepumping operation, the runner casing is normally prevented fromacquiring such an accumulation of air therein as will cause the pump tolose its water and make rime the pump. At the same time, in the orm hereshown, if the pump does happen to lose its water, the use of myair-removing means makes it possible to prime the pump readilyby theautomatic priming means shown or in any other suitable manner, the valveremaining open during the priming operation for the escape of all theextraneous air, thus assisting very materially in the priming operation.

While I have shown the by-pass comprising the regulating valve and thepipe 23 as being connected between the outlet side of the pump and theinlet side thereof, it will be understood that I do not restrict myselfto that particular construction except as hereinafter specificallyclaimed, the essential feature of the construction being that theregulating valve shall operate to permit water to pass to the pump fromthe head of water pumped when the-effective pumping operation ceases.

It will also be understood that I do not restrict my invention to thearrangement shown, in which the regulating valve is connected to thehead of water pumped rather thanto some other "uitable source of waterunder pressure, except as hereinafter specifically claimed, although- Iprefer to employ the construction illustrated.

it necessary to While have described my improvements in connection witha water pump, it will be understood that I do not restrict my inventionto use for pumping water alone, but that it is adapted for use withother liquids, the operation being the same as that above described. Theclaims are, therefore, to be construed accordingly.

It will also be understood that theair-removing device is equallyserviceable for the removal of any gas without being restricted in anyway to air alone.

'lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. The combination of a pump, a regulating valve comprising a casing,a diaphragm extending across said casing, two

- ports leading from said casing on one side of said diaphragm, and aplate mounted on said diaphragm adapted to close both of said ports,means connecting one of said ports w1th a head of water, meansconnecting the other of said ports with said pump, and means connectingsaid casing on the other side of said diaphragm with the dischargeoutlet of said pump whereby the pressure of the water pumped during theeffective operation of the pump serves to.

hold said plate in position to keep said ports closed.

2. The combination of a pump, a regulating valve comprising a'casing, adiaphragm extending across said casing, two ports leading from saidcasing 011 one side of said diaphragm, and a plate mounted on saiddiaphragm adapted to close both of said ports, means connecting one ofsaid ports with the head of water pumped, means connecting the other ofsaid ports with the inlet Side of said pump, and means connecting thesaid casing'on the other side of the diaphragm with the discharge outletof the pump whereby the pressure of the water pumped acting through thelast-named connecting means during the effective operation of the pumpserves to hold said plate in position to kee said two ports closed.

3. The comblnation of a pump, a regulating' valve comprising a casing, adiaphragm extending across said casing, two ports leading from saidcasing on one side of said diaphragm, and a plate ounted on saiddiaphragm adapted to close both of said ports, a check-valve preventingthe return of water to the pump through the discharge outlet, meansconnecting one of the said two ports of the casing with thehead ofwaterfpumped above said check-valve, means connecting the other of saidtwo ports with the inlet side of the pump, and a pipe communicating atone end with the casing on the side of the diaphragm opposite that onwhich said two ports are located and extending into the discharge outletof the pump between the said check-valve and the pump, being providedwith a port in the discharge outlet opening toward the pump whereby thepressure in the casing of the water pumped acting through the said pipeduring the efiective operation of the pump serves to hold said plate inposition to keep said two ports closed.

I JOHN B. SPERRY. Witnesses:

R. D. MAHAFFEY, E. l. Emcnsnn.

